Feeder and folder arrangement for signature gathering machine

ABSTRACT

A feeder folder unit for use with an inserter of the type having a rotary feed drum, a signature opening mechanism and a conveyor chain and wherein the feeder folder unit includes hopper means for supplying signatures in a horizontal position, rotary extractor drum for extracting these signatures from the hopper, transfer means for transferring extracted signatures from the rotary drum to a folder mechanism and transfer chain means for transferring the folded signatures in timed relation to the feed drum of the inserter. The feeder folder mechanism may be constructed as a separate unit but driven from the inserter drive and used with existing inserter gatherers both to convert such gatherers from a vertical hopper feed to a horizontal hopper feed and to perform a fold operation during feeding of the signatures.

United States Patent Mebus [4 1 Sept. 19, 1972 [$4] FEEDER AND FOLDER3,522,942 8/1970 Hepp ..270/55 ARRANGEMENT FOR SIGNATURE GATHERINGMACHINE :rtimary Ex;miner-$ntolrl io F. Guida [72] Inventor: Henry R.Mehus, Nazareth, Pa. wmey cunt am [73] Assignee: Harris-IntertypeCorporation, ABSTRACT Cleveland ohm A feeder folder unit for use with aninserter of the [22] Filed; Much 2 1971 type having a rotary feed drum,a signature opening mechanism and a conveyor chain and wherein the [21-]PP 120,279 feeder folder unit includes hopper means for supplyingsignatures in a horizontal position, rotary extractor [52] s CL 7 5 drumfor extracting these signatures from the hopper, 51 Int. Cl. ..B65h 5/30transfer n for transferring extracted signatures Sn,c o 55,57,61626768from the rotary drum to a folder mechanism and [581 Md h 27 I transferchain means for transferring the folded signatures in timed relation tothe feed drum of the in- [56] References Cited serter. The feeder foldermechanism may be con- UNITED STATES PATENTS :tructedgs a separate unitbut driven fro? the ilrlgarlter I rive an use wi existing inserter gaerers to 1,258,720 3/1918 Story 573/5; convert such gametes from avertical hopper feed to g qz g 3 12 a horizontal hopper feed and toperform a fold opera- 3- 1 H1961 l i R tron dunng feedlng of thesignatures. 3,162,434 12/1964 Hepp ..270/57 13 Claims, 6 Drawing FiguresPATENTEDSEP 1 9 m2 sum 1 or 2 //VVE/V7'0,? HENRY 1Q. M5805 5r ATTORNEYSPATENTED I972 3.692.300

sum 2 or 2 //VVEN7'0/? HENRY P. MEBUS ATTOIPA/EVS FEEDER AND FOLDERARRANGEMENT FOR SIGNATURE GATHERING MACHINE This invention relates tosignature gathering machines and, more particularly, to a feeder folderunit for feeding signatures from a horizontal hopper, folding thesignature and transferring the signatures in timed relation to thefeeddrum of an inserter.

It is an object of this invention to provide a feeder mechanism for aninserter gather for converting the gatherer from a vertical hopper feedto a horizontal hopper feed and in which feeder means including a rotaryextractor drum are used to extract signatures from a horizontal hopperand feed the signatures, fold edge first, to the rotary feed drum of theinserter.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a feeder folder unitfor use with an inserter gatherer and wherein a rotary separator drumextracts signatures from a horizontal hopper, conveyor means convey thesignatures to a folder wherein the signatures are folded and transfermeans transfer the folded signatures in timed relation and fold edgefirst to the feed drum of the inserter.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a feeder folderunit which is adapted to be used with existing inserters to replacevertical hoppers with horizontal hoppers with the feeder folder unitbeing adapted to be driven in synchronism with the inserter from theinserter drive shaft.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent fromthe following description which, together with the attached drawings,discloses but a preferred form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicatelike parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in side elevation of the feederfolder unit and its operative relationship with the inserter;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the feeding of asignature from the horizontal hopper;

FIG. 5 illustrates a buckle folder which may be used in the unit in lieuof the folder illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating the transfer of a signature tothe inserter feed drum.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, there is illustrated inFIG. I a feeder folder unit, indicated generally by the referencenumeral 10, and which is constructed in accordance with the principlesof this invention. The feeder folder unit is adapted to be used in thegripper l6 releases the folded edge and the signature abuts a stopschematically illustrated at 24. The transfer cylinder 18 thereafterengages the signature and pulls it away from the drum 14 and carries itto the opener cylinder 20 where the signature is opened and dropped ontothe conveyor chain 22.

For a more complete description of an inserter and its operation,reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,251,943 and 2,855,195.

Referring now to the feeder folder unit 10, that unit includes ahorizontal hopper, indicated generally by the reference numeral 30,together with feed means for feeding signatures from the hopper 30 and afolder for folding these signatures as they are being fed to theinserter feed drum 14. The feed means includes a rotary separator drum32 which is rotatably supported adjacent the hopper 30 and whichincludes suitable grippers 34 for receiving signatures from the hopper30 and carrying them around the drum 32. The operation of the grippers34 is controlled by a suitable cam and follower arrangement, not shown,but which operates to open and close the grippers 34 in a predeterminedtimed sequence.

FIG. 4 illustrates in enlarged detail one form which the hopper feed maytake and includes a suction cup extractor 36 which is rockably supportedon a rocker arm 38. The suction extractor 36 is periodically pivoted toa position in engagement with the lower most of the signatures in thehopper 30 and then pivoted back to the position shown in FIG. 4 drawingwith it the signature for gripping by the grippers 34 on the drum 32. Asis well known in the art, the rocking movement of the suction extractor36 and the application and release of suction are timed to coincide withthe rotation of the drum 32. A suitable cam and follower arrangement,not shown, may be used to control the pivoting movement of the suctionextractor 36.

A feed roller 40 is supported for rotation adjacent the periphery of thedrum 32 and cooperates with a conveyor 42 which is also positionedadjacent the drum 32. The conveyor may comprise a conveyor belt trainedaround three pulleys, 43, 44, 45. The feed roll combination with aninserter gatherer which may be of a conventional construction and thedetails of which form no portion of this invention. However, tofacilitate an understanding of the invention, a fragmentary portion ofthe inserter is schematically indicated at 12. The

. portions of the inserter 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 include a rotaryfeed drum 14 having grippers 16 carried v thereon. A pair of cylinderscomprising a transfer cylinder 18 and an opener cylinder 20 comprise asignature opening mechanism which cooperates with the feed drum 14 in amanner well known in the art to open the signatures and deposit them ona saddle conveyor chain 22. As is well understood in the art, thegrippers 16 on the feed drum 14 receive and grip a signature by thefolded edge and carry the signature around to the position shown inFIG. 1. At this position,

40 is positioned to contact the conveyor 42 to define a nip therebetweeninto which the signatures are fed. A roller 40a (FIG. 1) spring loadedagainst gripper drum 32 will drive the sheet between drum 32 and roller40a after gripper 34 of drum 32 has opened. Guide 40b, concentric withroller 40, guides the leading edge of the sheet, after gripper 34 hasreleased it, into the pinch point of conveyor belt 42.

Adjacent the horizontal forward end of the conveyor 42, but spaced fromit, is a second conveyor 46 which comprises a conveyor belt trainedaround a pair of pulleys 47,48.

Cooperating with the conveyor 42,46 is a folder means which isillustrated as being of the knife or chopper folder type. This foldermeans includes a reciprocating knife or chopper blade 50 which isadapted to be reciprocated in a vertical direction in the space betweenthe rollers 45,48 by a suitable cam 52 and follower 54. A pair ofrollers 55,56 are positioned immediately above the conveyors 42,46 withthe nip of the rolls 55,56 being aligned with the line of reciprocationof the blade 50. As will be readily understood by those skilled in theart, a sheet to be folded passes along the conveyor 42 onto the conveyor46 with the leading edge of the sheet moving into abutment with a fixedstop 58. At the moment the sheet engages the stop 58, the sheet extendsacross the two conveyors 42,46 and the blade 50 is actuated toreciprocate upwardly thereby making a fold in the sheet and forcing thefold edge into the nip of the two fold rollers 55,56.

Positioned above rollers 55,56 are two additional rollers 59,60 whichfeed the signature, fold edge first, to a feeder conveyor 62. Theconveyor 62 cooperates with a feed roll 64 in the same manner as theconveyor 42 and roll 40, to receive the folded sheet in the niptherebetween and advance the sheet to a transfer chain mechanism,indicated generally by the reference numeral 66.

The transfer chain mechanism 66 comprises a pair of chains 67,68 each ofwhich have spaced projecting driving lugs 69. A pair of spaced guides70,72 are adapted to receive signatures therebetween with the lugs 69projecting through slots in the lower guide 72 to advance the signatureto the inserter feed drum 14. The operation of the transfer chainmechanism is closely timed to the rotation of the'drum 14 so that thesignatures advanced by the chain mechanism arrive at the transfer drumas one of the grippers 16 passes by the transfer chain thereby toreceiveand grip the forward folded edge of the signature.

Various means may be employed to assure control over the signature as itexits from the guides 70,72 and is gripped by the grippers on drum 14.As shown, the lower guide 72 includes a forward delivery portion 74which extends forwardly of the chain and on which the signature slidesdown toward the periphery of the drum 14. A pair of cutouts or slots 76are formed in the forward edge of the delivery portion 74 to accommodatethe pivoting movement of the grippers 16 as they close on the forwardedge of the signature.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the transfer of a signature from thedelivery portion 74 of the guide to the feed drum 14. As shown in thatFigure, the fold edge of the signature is adjacent to drum 14- andgripper 16 is pivoting to close on the signature and clamp the fold edgeagainst the gripper pad 16a.

To assure that the feeder folder unit operates in synchronism with theinserter, it is contemplated that the feeder folder will be driven fromthe inserter drive shaft 78. While the drive for the feeder folder unithas only been schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, it will beappreciated that the drive may be accomplished in any convenient mannerto achieve the desired synchronism. Of particular importance is therequirement that the transfer chain mechanism be driven in synchronismwith the inserter since the transfer chain mechanism not only feeds thesignatures to drum 14 but also effects a retiming of the signatures toassure their arrival at the feed drum 14 at the appropriate time. Asshown, a drive sprocket 77 on inserter shaft 78 drives a main drivesprocket 79 on a shaft 80. A sprocket 81 on the shaft 80 drivesconveyors 42,46, roll 40 and drum 32 by drive means 82,83 while similarmeans such as shown at 84,85, would be used to drive the fold rolls,feed rolls, conveyor 62, roll 64 and the transfer chain mechanism 66from the inserter shaft 78.

While the operation of the feeder folder in combination with theinserter is believed apparent from the foregoing description, theoperation will be briefly summarized.

With the inserter in operation, the inserter drive shaft 78 will drivethe feeder folder unit in synchronism with the inserter. The suctionextractor 36 will be actuated to extract the lowermost signature in thehorizontal hopper to a position where it can be gripped by the gripper34. The gripper 34 on the drum 32 will carry the signature around to theroller 40 and conveyor 42 where the forward edge of r the signature willbe released. The forward edge of the signature then enters the nipbetween the roller 40 and the conveyor 42 and is carried around theroller 40 onto the horizontal surface of the conveyor 42. The forwardedge of the signature is advanced by the conveyor 42 onto the conveyor46 and into abutment with the stop 58. The blade 50 is then actuated toform the desired fold with the fold rollers 55,56 advancing the foldedsignature up between the feed rolls 59,60 and into the nip between theroller 64 and the conveyor 62. Thereafter, the signature is advancedaround the roller 64 and carried by the conveyor 62 into the guides70,72. The lower guide 72, in effect, serves as a transfer table onwhich the signature rests until engaged by one of the lugs 69. The lugs69 them move the signature along the surface of guide 72 at a controlledrate toward the feed drum 14. As the signature approaches the feed drum14, the forward edge of the signature moves down onto transfer portion74 at precisely the time that one of the grippers 16 on the drum 14 ispassing by the transfer chain. At this transfer point, the gripper l6closes on the forward edge of the signature and carries the signaturearound the drum 14 up to the fixed stop 24 at which point the gripper l6releases the signature. The transfer cylinder 18 then grasps thesignature and moves the signature in a known manner to the openercylinder 20 which opens the cylinder and deposits it on the saddleconveyor chain 22,

While folded signatures have been illustrated as being supplied form thehorizontal hopper 30, it will be appreciated that the describedmechanism may be used for feeding single sheets in which the only foldto be made is made by the folder blade 50.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that folders other thana knife or chopper folded may be used. For example, there is illustratedin FIG. 5 a buckle folder which is itself conventional and well known inthe art. In using a buckle folder, the blade 50 and the conveyor 46would be replaced with the conveyor 42 advancing the sheet directly intoa pair of folding plates 90,92 where the forward edge engages a stop 94causing the sheet to buckle upward into the nip between a pair offolding rollers 55',56'. The folded edge of the signature is thenadvanced between the feed rolls 59,60 and onto the conveyor '62 in themanner described previously.

It is -to be noted that the feeder folder unit 10 is adapted to be usedas an attachment for existing inserters whereby such inserters may beconverted from a vertical hopper feed to a horizontal hopper feed andthe additional function of performing a final folding operation duringthe feeding of the signatures may be performed. Thus, all of theelements of the unit 10 are supported in a suitable frame 98 therebyproviding a self-supporting unit which can be installed adjacent theframe 100 of the inserter. Since the unit is adapted to be driven by theinserter itself, synchronism of the feeder folder unit with the inserteris assured.

While the invention has been described with reference to an illustratedpreferred embodiment, neither the illustrated embodiment nor theterminology employed in describing it is intended to be limiting;rather, it is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims. What is claimed is: 1. In a signature gathering machineincluding a rotary feed drum, rotary signature opening means andconveyor means for receiving opened signatures thereon,

hopper means for receiving and storing signatures in a generallyhorizontal arrangement, and

feeding means for feeding the horizontally arranged signatures from saidhopper means to said rotary feed drum,

said feeding means including a rotary extractor drum for extractingsignatures from said hopper means.

2. An inserter gathering machine for gathering signatures and includinga gathering chain for receiving signatures thereon, a rotary drum forfeeding signatures and signature opening means for opening signaturesreceived from said rotary drum and depositing the opened signatures onsaid gathering chain,

hopper means for storing a supply of signatures,

rotary drum extractor means for extracting and feeding signatures fromsaid hopper means, and feeding means for feeding signatures from saidextractor drum to said rotary feed drum,

said feeding means including folder means for folding the signaturesbefore the signatures reach said rotary feed drum, and drive means forsynchronously driving all of said means.

3. The signature gathering machine of claim 1 and further includingdrive means for driving said rotary feed drum and said rotary signatureopening means, and

means for driving said feeding means from said drive means whereby saidfeeding means is driven in synchronism with said rotary feed drum andsaid signature opening means.

4. The gathering machine of claim 3 wherein said feeding means furtherincludes folder means for folding said signatures before said signaturesreach said rotary feed drum.

5. The signature gathering machine of claim 4 wherein said feeding meansincludes means for receiving the signatures from said folder means andfeeding said folded signatures to said rotary feed drum in timedrelation thereto.

6. The inserter gathering machine of claim 2 wherein said feeding meansincludes conveyor means for feeding said signatures from said extractordrum to said folder means, and

transfer means for receiving said signatures from said folder means andadvancing said signatures to said rotary feed drum. 7. The gatheringmachine of claim 6 wherein said transfer means includes means foradvancing said signatures at a rate synchronous with the rotation ofsaid rotary feed drum.

8. The gathering machine of claim 7 and further including additionalconveyor means for feeding the signatures from said folder means to saidtransfer means.

9. The gathering machine of claim 2 wherein said folder means comprisesa chopper folder.

10. The gathering machine of claim 2 wherein said folder means comprisesa buckle folder.

11. A feeder folder unit for use with an inserter gathering machine andincluding,

frame means,

hopper means supported on said frame means for receiving and storingsignatures in a generally horizontal position,

rotary extractor drum means rotatably supported on said frame meansadjacent said hopper means and including means for extracting signaturesfrom said hopper means,

folder means on said frame means for folding signatures,

first feed means on said frame means for feeding signatures from saidextractor drum to said folder means,

second feed means on said frame means for feeding signatures from saidfolder means,

transfer means for receiving signatures from said second feed means andadvancing the signatures along a predetermined path,

drive means for driving said transfer means, and

means connected to said drive means and adapted to be connected to thedrive of an inserter gathering machine for driving said transfer meansin synchronism with the gathering machine.

12. The feeder folder unit of claim 11 wherein said means connected tosaid drive means includes means for driving said drum means, foldermeans and feed means in synchronism with said transfer means.

13. The feeder folder unit of claim 11 wherein said transfer meansincludes a transfer guide surface supported on said frame means, and

timing chain means cooperating with said guide surface to movesignatures along said guide surface at a predetermined rate.

1. In a signature gathering machine including a rotary feed drum, rotarysignature opening means and conveyor means for receiving openedsignatures thereon, hopper means for receiving and storing signatures ina generally horizontal arrangement, and feeding means for feeding thehorizontally arranged signatures from said hopper means to said rotaryfeed drum, said feeding means including a rotary extractor drum forextracting signatures from said hopper means.
 2. An inserter gatheringmachine for gathering signatures and including a gathering chain forreceiving signatures thereon, a rotary drum for feeding signatUres andsignature opening means for opening signatures received from said rotarydrum and depositing the opened signatures on said gathering chain,hopper means for storing a supply of signatures, rotary drum extractormeans for extracting and feeding signatures from said hopper means, andfeeding means for feeding signatures from said extractor drum to saidrotary feed drum, said feeding means including folder means for foldingthe signatures before the signatures reach said rotary feed drum, anddrive means for synchronously driving all of said means.
 3. Thesignature gathering machine of claim 1 and further including drive meansfor driving said rotary feed drum and said rotary signature openingmeans, and means for driving said feeding means from said drive meanswhereby said feeding means is driven in synchronism with said rotaryfeed drum and said signature opening means.
 4. The gathering machine ofclaim 3 wherein said feeding means further includes folder means forfolding said signatures before said signatures reach said rotary feeddrum.
 5. The signature gathering machine of claim 4 wherein said feedingmeans includes means for receiving the signatures from said folder meansand feeding said folded signatures to said rotary feed drum in timedrelation thereto.
 6. The inserter gathering machine of claim 2 whereinsaid feeding means includes conveyor means for feeding said signaturesfrom said extractor drum to said folder means, and transfer means forreceiving said signatures from said folder means and advancing saidsignatures to said rotary feed drum.
 7. The gathering machine of claim 6wherein said transfer means includes means for advancing said signaturesat a rate synchronous with the rotation of said rotary feed drum.
 8. Thegathering machine of claim 7 and further including additional conveyormeans for feeding the signatures from said folder means to said transfermeans.
 9. The gathering machine of claim 2 wherein said folder meanscomprises a chopper folder.
 10. The gathering machine of claim 2 whereinsaid folder means comprises a buckle folder.
 11. A feeder folder unitfor use with an inserter gathering machine and including, frame means,hopper means supported on said frame means for receiving and storingsignatures in a generally horizontal position, rotary extractor drummeans rotatably supported on said frame means adjacent said hopper meansand including means for extracting signatures from said hopper means,folder means on said frame means for folding signatures, first feedmeans on said frame means for feeding signatures from said extractordrum to said folder means, second feed means on said frame means forfeeding signatures from said folder means, transfer means for receivingsignatures from said second feed means and advancing the signaturesalong a predetermined path, drive means for driving said transfer means,and means connected to said drive means and adapted to be connected tothe drive of an inserter gathering machine for driving said transfermeans in synchronism with the gathering machine.
 12. The feeder folderunit of claim 11 wherein said means connected to said drive meansincludes means for driving said drum means, folder means and feed meansin synchronism with said transfer means.
 13. The feeder folder unit ofclaim 11 wherein said transfer means includes a transfer guide surfacesupported on said frame means, and timing chain means cooperating withsaid guide surface to move signatures along said guide surface at apredetermined rate.